Nadia Murad, an Iraqi women’s rights activist who was once enslaved by ISIS extremists, on Wednesday sounded the alarm over women subjected to rape and sexual violence during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Addressing world powers in New York, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate said reports of sexual violence — which have been attributed to both Russian and Ukrainian forces — should “alarm us all”.
“Sexual violence is not a side effect of conflict, it is a tactic of war as old as time,” Ms Murad told the UN Security Council.
Ms Murad was among thousands of Yazidi women who were forced into sexual slavery by ISIS during the group’s push across western Iraq in 2014. Such armed forces “understand the destabilising effect of gender-based violence”, she said.
She called for the International Criminal Court to prosecute ISIS members and unveiled the “Murad Code” for gathering evidence of rape and other crimes in war zones and holding abusers to account. The scheme is backed and funded by Britain.
“I am appalled by the growing number of reports of sexual violence by Russian forces emerging from the conflict in Ukraine,” UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement.
“The launch of the Murad Code is a vital step towards helping and supporting survivors and bringing perpetrators to justice for their crimes.”
UN human rights monitors have tried to verify claims of sexual violence by Russian forces, including gang rape and rapes in front of children, as well as allegations of sexual violence at the hands of Ukrainian forces and civil defence militias.
At the same meeting, Pramila Patten, the UN’s envoy against sex attacks in wartime, expressed “grave concern about the mounting allegations of sexual violence” in Ukraine and called for “swift and rigorous investigations”.
She also said that the millions of women and girls who have been forced from their homes by the fighting were at risk of “trafficking and exploitation” during the “fastest population flight this century”.
Russia has repeatedly denied attacking civilians since its invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. Russia’s deputy UN envoy Dmitry Polyanskiy this week denounced what he claimed was a western smear campaign that presented “Russian soldiers as sadists and rapists”.
Sima Bahous, the head of the UN Women agency, said this week that the large number of deployed “conscripts and mercenaries and the brutality displayed against Ukrainian civilians has raised all red flags” about rape and sexual abuse.
All sides in the Ukraine war have systems of conscription, where young men are required by law to do military service. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of using mercenaries.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
THREE
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Company%20profile
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
Spain drain
CONVICTED
Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.
Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.
Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.
SUSPECTED
Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.
Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.
Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.
Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.
Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.
RESULT
Bayern Munich 0 AC Milan 4
Milan: Kessie (14'), Cutrone (25', 43'), Calhanoglu (85')
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
